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Ties Between Romney, Anti-Gay Group Grow Deeper

WASHINGTON – The ties between Governor Mitt Romney, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, and the National Organization for Marriage, a leading anti-gay group, are growing deeper by the day. In addition to Romney’s “Free and Strong America” PAC giving a $10,000 contribution to NOM for Proposition 8, HRC has learned that two of NOM’s Directors, Craig D. Cardon and Broc Hiatt, have each donated $2,500 to Romney for President, Inc., this cycle (on 6/20/11 and 5/17/11, respectively).

“The more we learn about Romney’s close ties to NOM, the more anti-gay he looks – and is,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese. “You can tell a lot about a man by the company he keeps, and who his maxed out donors are.”

Both Cardon and Hiatt are executives at The Vineyard Group, which gave $160,000 to the Yes on Prop 8 campaign. Both are longtime supporters of Governor Romney, each giving the maximum $2,300 donation during his 2008 presidential bid, broken down as follows.

· 1/8/07: Broc Hiatt Contributed $4,200 to Romney For President.

· 2/12/07: Broc Hiatt Was Refunded $2,100 from Romney For President.

· 3/27/07: Broc Hiatt Contributed $200 to Romney For President.

· 1/8/07: Craig D. Cardon Contributed $4,200 to Romney For President.

· 3/5/07: $2,100 Was Refunded To Craig Cardon By Romney For President.

[Source: Federal Election Commission]

Hiatt and Cardon are listed on NOM’s 2009 and 2010 tax returns as “Directors” for NOM.

Romney himself has signed NOM’s virulently anti-gay “marriage pledge” in which Romney promises, if elected, to set up a presidential commission to “investigate” gay Americans for alleged harassment and intimidation.

Two weeks ago, HRC unearthed secret NOM memos outlining a strategy to “drive a wedge between gays and blacks.”

The Human Rights Campaign is America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.

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